The Art of Fighting a Cold
by moonlight-shimmer
Summary: Robin's not feeling well, and Barney eventually takes care of her. Set at the beginning of season 5. One-shot :)


Hey guys :) This one-shot was inspired by Season 2's "How Lily Stole Christmas," to be specific the scene in which Robin takes care of a sick Barney. This takes place when they first dated in the beginning of season 5. I don't own anything, sadly. Hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think :)

There is this one time _she's _the one lying in her bed, her head heavy, her throat scratchy and her nose running. She moans and pulls the blanket up to her chin, feeling completely miserable.

Robin hears the door open. She doesn't really think about it as her head is too blurry to form a coherent thought, but when she hears a voice calling out her name, she sits up slightly.  
"Bedroom," she means to shout, but all that comes out of her dry mouth is a whimper.

The next second, Barney's looking at her from the door.

"Hello, hottie," he says, grinning. "What's up? I've been waiting for you at the bar."

Robin coughs. "Sorry, I totally forgot. I think I've got the cold or something…" She cleans her nose.

Barney lifts an eyebrow. He can clearly see that she's not feeling well, but he doesn't want to leave now that he's here. That's the thing about her: every time he only spots Robin, all his other priorities fly out of the window.

But he is still Barney, so he cannot help but ask, "So, no funny business today?"

The brunette half rolls her eyes, half smiles at him. "No, idiot. I just need a good rest now."  
He pouts at her, coming closer. Sitting on her bed, he hesitates slightly, and then puts his hand to her forehead. "Robin, you're glowing."

She moans. "Yeah, I thought so." She coughs. "You should go, or you'll catch it, too."

And because he's Barney, he says, "Okay. Tell Ted if you need anything. Call me when you're better." He kisses her forehead and is gone.

-

A bit later, Ted tells Barney that he's an idiot and that even a girl like Robin wants to be taken care of when she's sick.

Barney, panicking and totally overwhelmed by the situation, goes shopping (because Ted kicks him out of MacLaren's). Fortunately, he finds an old lady who tells him what to get and how to make Robin feel better, and he gives her money so she can buy herself a nice bottle of wine as a thank you.

Half an hour later, he's back at the apartment. He flushes when he sees Robin standing in the kitchen. He doesn't exactly know why, but he feels a bit embarrassed.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" Robin asks with a heavy voice. "I was just making some tea…"

"Listen," he interrupts her, putting the bag with his purchases down on the counter, "I can't change who I am. I'm a self-centred, stupid, ignorant idiot, and sometimes, I do things that offend others. I didn't mean to run out on you when I saw you were sick. It's just… it's been a very long time since I had someone else to take care of besides myself." He looks at her, sheepishly. "I just need you to know that I _do_ care about you, even if I might – fail to let you know that. Okay?"

Robin smiles at him, crossing her arms over her chest. "Okay," she says quietly. She steps forward and looks at the things he brought. "What's in the bag?"

Barney tells her about the lady at the supermarket and how she told him what to buy to make her feel better. There's chicken soup, Camilla tea, a family size package of tissues, cough syrup and a scarf that he thought she might like. Robin cannot help thinking how cute he is. "Wait, let me get a pot –"

"No, no, no. You go back to bed. Let me handle that."

She leaves the kitchen. Barney proceeds to search for a pot. Just as he finds it, he feels a pair of arms wrap around his waist from behind. His lips curve into the happiest smile he has ever worn on his cynical, cool, smooth poker face.

"Thank you," she whispers and presses her cheek against his suit jacket. "And I'm not mad at you. I appreciate… your effort."

"You may thank me once you're in better condition," he plays it cool even though his heart feels twice as big right now, "naked, of course."

Robin squeezes him, smirking. "You can count on that. Now, make me soup!"

Barney does make her soup. He also makes her tea and wraps the scarf around her neck, and then Robin throws him out, saying she's really tired and wants to sleep (when actually, she just wants to kiss him senselessly, but knowing how he acts when he's ill, she really can't risk that).

"Get well soon, Scherbatsky," he says as he closes the door with a gentleness she didn't know he possesses. Robin smiles into her pillow. "Feeling better already," she whispers to herself, slowly drifting into a healing sleep.

-

Later, as Barney sits next to Lily and across from Ted in their regular booth, the dark-haired man raises his eyebrows, silently asking _So? Did you take care of her?_

Barney gives him a single nod of his head, telepathically saying, _Challenge completed._

Ted smiles, pleased.

Barney is totally gonna ace next week's pop quiz in _Robin 101._


End file.
